


Are you happy, Hermione?

by Antheros



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Rivalry, Gryffindor/Slytherin Inter-House Relationships, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Love, Multi, Oral Sex, Past Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Ron Weasley Bashing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-02-22 21:07:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23200402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antheros/pseuds/Antheros
Summary: The war is over, school starts again. But the scars are multiple and deep. Hermione finds herself dealing with the dark side of fame, with the whispers, the slander that leads to the definitive break with Ron and his closest friends.Hermione is tired of always being ready to put a piece on the problems, she wants to enjoy every moment of the last school year. Above all, he wants to meet new people, understand and heal. And maybe even find new love ... or more than one
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy/Theodore Nott
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17





	1. The Eighth Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter ...  
> The war has just ended and the survivors have taken a period to regain control over their emotions. But a letter from the director shows how different Ron and Hermione are, changed even if they haven't noticed yet.

"But are you happy, Hermione?"  
This was the question she was asked most often and to which she had always answered firmly. She had always claimed to be happy with his friendship with Harry, to attend Hogwarts, to be a model witch and student, and even to his relationship, just started, with Ronald.  
But then the war broke out, the dangers increased, the dark faces, the semi-spoken words, the strong and overwhelming emotions. The constant fear of getting lost, the jolts at the slightest noise and the wand ready for any whisper did the rest.  
Their relationship started to crumble at that moment, but she hadn't noticed; the brightest witch of her age hadn't noticed how her relationship with Ronald, that best friend she'd always known, was plummeting. A free fall that barely seemed to feel its effects.  
But like all negative things, the war has come to an end. One night, so suddenly, the walls of Hogwarts held up protecting and helping their students and alumni to get the better of it.  
She was there with her wand in her hand, her face serious and her eyes alert. She sensed the cold of the wind lashing her face and creeping into her hair, and she wanted time to run faster. Harry and Ronald were at her side, tired and upset, but always ready.  
Nothing seemed to have changed.

The real changes came at the end of the sultry August of that year when the director McGonagall sent them, by the owl, the letter inviting them to reach the school to take the final exams. Hermione e was in the den that morning, and more precisely in Ronald's bed when his owl had made her slip the letter on the bedside table just before asking for attention. She had turned in the tangle of blankets and immediately discarded it, excited to have received some mail.  
Ronald's eyes narrowed, his face still half asleep and his hair dishevelled, and he looked at her uncertainly:  
"What are you doing, Mione?"  
The question fell on deaf ears and this prompted the boy to lean over his partner's shoulder to understand. Ronald did not have time to read the first line that Hermione jumped out of bed, her happy face and bright eyes.  
"We are going back to school, Ronald. The headmistress allowed the students of the last year to make up for the school year so that they could carry out the final exams and then graduate" the excitement of the young woman was well palpable in her voice.  
Ronald groaned at the mere hearing of the term "school".  
"Aren't you happy about it? Finally, we will have a quiet year to spend immersed in the study at Hogwarts. We will be able to know what it's like to attend the best school of Magic and Witchcraft in the magical world. I have to quickly get the volumes for the courses, or I won't be able to pick them before school starts, "said Hermione, sitting on the bed. Ronald looked at her with a mixture of horror, fear and indifference: he didn't like that novelty at all.  
"To be honest, Hermione preferred to start my career without obtaining any diploma. After all, we are the saviours of the magical world, the Golden Trio. Practically people queue to try and get one of us in their workplace Not to mention that it would be an excellent way to start thinking of being a family ... "he replied.  
"Ronald we are nineteen, we are not ready for the world of work, although our actions have influenced popular opinion. We are not so different from the other students of our year, we still have many things to learn. And then we already have spoken, Ronald I am not going to be a housewife who only takes care of our family and home: I want to have my job that is capable of getting excited, "said Hermione with a cordial but firm tone.  
A similar conversation had already taken place after the end of the war when the forces had given way and needed a period of calm to reflect on what they wanted. And it was in that period of calm that Hermione had matured the decision to continue her studies, she would have asked the director for a permit to be able to recover her exams in order not to lose her diploma. But Ronald had been immediately convinced to quit his studies, for him suddenly the birth of a family with Hermione had become of primary importance, as if that decision was up to him alone, or, much more likely because that would have been a new way to make him talk even after the exploits of the war.  
Sniffing at the approach of an argument, Ronald said he would listen to Harry's opinion that morning, and only then would he make a decision on what to do.  
For Hermione that was not an appropriate answer, but she didn't comment. She knew how simple it was to make Ronald angry at the time, but he refused to believe that this was Ronald's true character, simply the young witch believed that her boyfriend only needed more time to get through the events of the war.  
She often brooded over what had happened, still had nightmares at night and there were conversations, terms, spells and even sounds that she carefully avoided. Part of her, unconsciously, wanted to go back to Hogwarts to try to overcome the feeling of inadequacy that had caught her right after the end of the war, as if that continuous escaping was what she needed to understand something more important about her life.  
Ronald turned into bed pulling the sheets over his shoulders before sending Hermione an invitation to join him. The young woman lay down on the light sheets staring at the ceiling: she would get up a little later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have reached the end of the chapter, if you liked it, leave a kudos and comment. I am very curious about your thoughts.


	2. Shopping time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione is ready for school, she just has to make some absolutely necessary purchases and some thoughts too

When Ronald entered his room that afternoon, Harry realized he was about to be dragged into a "couple quarrel". Rolling his eyes and groaning in frustration, he let Ronald walk back and forth in front of his bed.  
"Ronald can I know what happens to you?" he asked, sitting between the covers.  
"Hermione wants to go back to Hogwarts. Finish her studies and only once she has graduated decide which job offer to accept. She doesn't even seem to think about the fact that she is in a relationship and that perhaps she should calibrate her wishes with mine; that I know, find a meeting point! She thinks only of herself and her stupid passion for books and study. She does not reflect at all on the possibility of being part of the world of adults, because now we are adults and as such we must start to behave, "Ronald spat, waving his hands and darkening his face.  
"I understand, but we both know Hermione: this was something we could and should have expected from her. She won't marry you before have taken the M.A.G.O. and much before she has understood which job she is most passionate about. In any case, I also read McGonagall's letter and it seems to me to be a good opportunity to take a break from all this media attention that we have. And then I want to spend as much time as possible with Ginny so I believe that I will accept the director's proposal and finish my studies. You should too. We could humiliate the Slytherins once again during Quidditch before we have to drop out of school forever. " he said keeping calm as he moved his gaze between his friend and his hands. Ronald stopped in the middle of the room, his eyes fixed on those of his best friend and a smile, to say the least, dangerous on the face when he had proposed to scramble the Snakes.  
"You're right: there is nothing better than to return to humiliate the Slytherins in Quidditch. And then I am sure that the job opportunities that have been proposed will remain there, awaiting our consent" Ronald reflected aloud and in the end, he had come to the solution that brought him closer to Hermione, even if for very different reasons.

That same afternoon Hermione headed to Hogsmade to retrieve school supplies. She walked quickly through the cobblestone streets of the centre trying to escape the lenses of the newspaper cameras. Ginny, who had joined her all excited, kept pace without worrying too much about being photographed as she entered the various shops.  
"I'm going to Flourish and Blotts, Ginny. We'll meet in Honeydukes in an hour, okay?" Hermione proposed, completely uninterested in the new Firebolt model that her friend was observing.  
"Of course! I think I'll go in and try this broom for Quidditch, last year's one is now in pieces. See you there," the redhead agreed with a genuine smile.  
Hermione turned and always walked briskly across the street to reach her favourite spot: the bookstore. As she walked around trying to keep her face out of journalists' reach, she didn't care in the least that this would be the last time she would have considered Ginny a true friend.

The Flourish and Blotts was crowded with students and parents who bought textbooks for Hogwarts or pleasant readings that cheered the trip. Some of them approached her for a photo, for a greeting and even to thank her: she satisfied them all in order not to disappoint even one.  
When she managed to get rid of that unwelcome attention, Hermione went to the counter where she could ask for her books before moving to the shelves to buy other volumes that she would certainly consult until she was nauseous. It was as she wandered through the shelves with his nose tucked into the pages of a volume of Potions that she met Theodore Nott. The young Slytherin wizard was in the company of his most trusted friends: Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini and was comparing which book was most appropriate for the journey to school. Hermione didn't pay much attention to that detail, nor did she pay attention to the conversation that enveloped the three men, but simply looked for other material. In her heart, however, she was happy to see them again in circulation, although they had never been in excellent relationships.  
Even the three magicians gave her only a glance without deepening their fortuitous encounter with sharp statements or false flatteries.

He met Ginny exactly an hour later full of books and with painful feet from the long walk: anyone who had seen her in those conditions would have smiled happily to see how the mind of the magic trio was always the same.  
"But how much stuff did you get, 'Mione?!" Ginny exclaimed and, in her voice, Hermione managed to catch a veil of frustration. She didn't care anymore from time to time, she was well aware of the fact that her friend had interests very different from hers.  
"Just a few readings that should be enough until the Christmas break, when I presumably have to come back to find other material to read. And then they are all interesting things and Folurishis and Blotts making excellent prices on the various books, so why not take advantage of it! You have found this what did you need?" she answered as they prepared to enter the small emporium of various sweets and sweets.  
"Yes, the new Firebolt is not that great, better the Nimbus I bought; you know in Quidditch stability is even more important than speed, especially in my role and then ..." Ginny began, taking the broom out of the bag.  
"Hold back Ginny, you know I don't know anything about Quidditch," Hermione exclaimed laughing. Ginny rolled her eyes and muttered a:  
"How are you going to hold on to Ronald if you don't know anything about his passion, only you know."  
Hermione stood still for a moment, her eyebrows raised and uncertainty in her voice. Ginny hadn't asked her a question and wasn't even sure that the sentence had been pronounced for her to hear it ... but it hurt both ways. She wasn't sure why such an exclamation had hurt her and despite all her brooding she couldn't understand it; her relationship with Ronald worked because there was love and not because they shared the same interests and he certainly had no intention of changing just to please a man who certainly knew her better than anyone else ... or so she hoped.


End file.
